Belly Talk
by Glistening Sun
Summary: This is my first-ever contribution to the #ShandySundayHiatus #AUShandy challenge. Sharon and Andy take a walk down memory lane. Lots of fluff and happy feels.


„You had the cutest belly."

Andy's voice made her turn around and chuckle: „Oh yes, I remember that well! There was a time when I felt you had a relationship with my belly rather than with me."

„Sweetheart, don't say that. I adored you – I still do. You just looked so incredibly beautiful with that adorable little belly of yours."

"Andy! I carried that belly around for nine months and there was nothing little or adorable about it, believe me!"

"Your adorable not so little belly, and your hair. Now, don't get me started on the hair!"

Sharon was laughing now. "I remember that, too."

Andy sat down on the couch and pulled her with him. She settled between in his legs, leaning back against his chest with a contented sigh. He burrowed his nose in her hair, breathing in her familiar scent, tightening his arms to hold her just a little closer. They stayed like that for a moment, enjoying the closeness and familiarity, breaths in sync.

"That was a crazy year," she whispered and turned to look at him.

"Good kind of crazy though," his eyes were sparkling.

"The best," she agreed, kissing him "and in hindsight, it wasn't all that crazy. We laid the foundations for everything we are today."

"I wouldn't change a thing," his voice was steady and full of conviction.

Sharon's body suddenly became stiff and Andy rested his hand against her face. She tried to give him a reassuring smile, but it didn't quite work.

"If I could have one wish granted, if there was one thing I wish had been different…I would have so loved to have another child with you, Andy." After all these years, the pain in her voice was still there.

He pulled her closer: "I know, sweetheart, so would I."

/

They had conceived Ricky during one of their first nights together, maybe even their very first, without ever intending to create a new life. It had been so easy and they had just expected it would happen again, but it didn't. Not for lack of trying or lack of opportunity.

At first they hadn't been too concerned. They were madly in love and happy with each other, busy raising Emily and Ricky, celebrating every new month Ricky added to his young life and Andy to his sobriety. He had cut back on his overtime, spent all his free time with his family and at regular AA meetings. It worked well, kept him balanced and sober. Sharon had excelled in her new position in IA, getting commendations and quickly putting herself in line for a promotion.

With Sharon's support Andy had also started rebuilding the relationship with his ex-wife and their daughter Nicole. Nicole was a little younger than Emily and started visiting on weekends. Sharon loved Andy's little girl, there was so much of him that she recognised in her. For one, they both had the same fascination with her long hair that fell in soft waves all the way to her waist. Andy spent hours washing it, brushing out all knots, running his fingers through the long tresses; he slept with his face deeply buried in the soft mass. When she had mentioned that she considered cutting it short, because she had felt it would be easier to handle with two small children and a demanding job, Andy had been shocked and so angry that it had almost led to a fight. Little Nicole loved "Mama Sharon's" hair, even if she showed it more by constantly pulling on it.

For a while, the thought of another pregnancy had been far from Sharon's mind, but once Ricky started walking she had noticed herself becoming anxious when month after month the stick wouldn't turn blue. It was a small thorn in her flesh hurting at the most inopportune moments; and every month without fail, that thorn had burrowed itself a little deeper into her heart. One night Andy had woken up to a crying Sharon in his arms. Judging by how wet his t-shirt was and how desperate her cries sounded, she must have been crying for a long time already. Her sobs, her despair had made his heart break and it had taken minutes and minutes of insistent prodding, soothing touches and tender kisses on his part to get her to open up. He had not been aware how much she had blamed herself for her failure to get pregnant, how much she had wanted another child.

They had gone to see a doctor, then another one, but were always told everything was fine and to keep trying. At some point they had sat down and decided to accept that their family would remain the way it was. If anything, the pain and disappointment had brought them closer together. Yet somewhere in her heart Sharon had never stopped hoping for another child.

/

"Sharon?"

She hummed in response.

"There are always what if and things we wish for. But that's different from regrets. And regrets I have none. I love you, Sharon, and the life we have built together. I adore our children: yours, mine, ours, all of them."

/

The news of her pregnancy had come as a surprise to both of them, but they had taken it in stride. Andy had started calling her Mum in private and after some half-hearted attempts at stopping him Sharon started calling him Dad. Everything had still been so new then, their friendship turned to love. They were getting to know each other as lovers, exploring each other's bodies and tastes. They had spent a lot of time just being close to each other, kissing and cuddling, lying on their bed playing with Emily. Ricky had been a part of their family long before he was born. Three year old Emily had looked on as Andy talked to her mum's belly, she had started imitating him, kissing the baby in mum's belly good morning and good night, and then lifting Sharon's shirt to look for her little brother or sister sparking merry laughter in her parents.

Sharon felt like she had memories of every single day of her pregnancy with Ricky. They had celebrated each day in their own way, Andy often spotting the changes to her body faster than she herself. He had been so tender and attentive, and had remained so throughout their years together.

/

"Where have you gone, sweetheart?" Andy asked softly while gently running his fingers through her hair.

"Trip down memory lane," she admitted with a smile and her eyes met his. "Do you remember when Emily first called you Dad?"

"Like it was yesterday! And I'll never forget the joy on your face either, you looked so happy. I'll never forget that moment, it was down here, on the old sofa, and it had just started raining. We'd been outside on the playground all morning with Emily and she played with her friends and I held you in my arms as we watched her. And our Ricky was kicking up a storm in your belly. He only settled down when we got back here and you lay down and Emily crawled into your lap." He paused for a moment and Sharon picked up where he had left off.

"She put her hands on my belly and said: "Look, dad, baby sleeping now.""

They were both caught in that moment so long ago: Emily's innocent words had given utterance to something they had known in their hearts, but hadn't yet voiced out loud: They were a family.

"And now our little Emily is having her own baby – and she reminds me so much of you then, Sharon. Her smile, the way she holds herself, when she puts her hand on her belly, it's you all over again."

Sharon laughed merrily. "Now that explains all the belly talk."

Fin.


End file.
